Monday, July 11, 2011

Central Park: Parks Department Career Criminal Arrested

Update

A Parks Department employee working in Central Park was arrested on June 27th for allegedly touching a female co-worker and exposing himself. The alledeged incident took place on the second floor of the Parks Department 86th shop located adjacent to the Central Park Pct. in the middle of the park.

43-year-old Vernon Gowdy, an ASPW, has a long history with the law dating back to 1983 according to a law enforcement source. He did an almost five year stint in Sing Sing for attempted robbery in the 80's and additional time for robbery at Queensborough Correctional Facility in the 1990's.

His arrest history also includes:

Multiple arrests for criminal possession of stolen property, multiple arrests for petty larceny, DWI (2004), criminal possession of a controlled substance, jostling, and possession of marijuana. He also has five arrests which have been sealed by the courts.

According to the New York Post Mr. Gowdy has been arrested more than 15 times. In 2001 he was arrested for the July 1991 slaying of Anna McCoy but wasn't prosecuted because Bronx DA Robert Johnson said there wasn't enough evidence.

Gowdy had been suspended from his $46,000-a-year job according to a parks spokesperson. Parks flak Vickie Karp defended keeping him on staff despite his 2001 arrest, saying, "He was not convicted."

"What type of background checks are being done on workers," asked a long-time Parks employee who requested anonymity. "It's not just the public that needs to be worried its us as well." - Geoffrey Croft

Manhattan

A Parks Department worker with a lengthy rap sheet -- including an arrest in connection to a murder -- was busted for groping a female co-worker while exposing himself, authorities said.

Vernon Gowdy, a maintenance worker in Central Park, allegedly put his hands into the woman's shorts and unzipped his own pants on June 27.

"It's all right. You could touch it," Gowdy told her, according to court papers.

The woman called the cops and Gowdy, 43, was charged with misdemeanor sex abuse and forcible touching.

Gowdy -- who has been arrested more than 15 times and spent at least five years in prison during the 1990s -- was arrested in 2001 for the July 1991 slaying of Anna McCoy.

The case wasn't prosecuted because Bronx DA Robert Johnson said there wasn't enough evidence.

Parks Department spokeswoman Vickie Karp said Gowdy has been suspended from his $46,000-a-year job after the latest arrest but defended keeping him on the staff despite his 2001 arrest, saying, "He was not convicted."

1 comment:

O.m.g. that's horrible. And noone defended the women. How can ppl with that rap sheet ever be hired to do public services.with a rap sheet that long others must have knew about it and aided him all these years. What else have he done that his aids are keeping quiet.. also why should the victim call the cops. Noone came to her aid or was it supose to be taken care of internally. And let it boil over... sexual harrasment cases are horrible and usually has more then 1 offender. I hope she sues him and wins.. plz update more